Tracked vehicles are quite common in a wide variety of applications, from public transit vehicles, to factory floor robots to amusement park rides. Tracked vehicle systems can provide easily automated, safe and energy efficient solutions for moving people, livestock or goods over a variety of terrains and have relatively rapid installation times.
In all of these applications, a vehicle can ride on provided rail(s) which must be able to easily support the weight of the vehicle without undue flexing while being able to absorb the static and dynamic loads that can occur as the vehicle rolls over the rails. Accordingly, the rails can be laid directly on the ground, such as in the case of a traditional railroad track, or can be mounted to an underlying support structure that is designed to withstand the significant engineering challenges that are presented when a heavy vehicle rolls on rails.
In the case where rails are laid on an underlying support structure, it will be readily appreciated that it is preferable if the underlying support structure can be constructed of a series of modular components that can withstand the dynamic and static loads to which the system is exposed in the particular end user application.
Moreover, in the context of amusement ride applications, it will be readily appreciated that a support structure component that is relatively lightweight yet torsionally stiff and resistant to bending moments and fatigue will permit ride designers more options and flexibility in terms of the forces that can be applied to the passenger cart and the shape of track that can be safely constructed resulting in a more exciting and vibrant ride experience.
Presently available box and tube-shaped backbone structures can be prone to flexing, thereby introducing a relatively large degree of vertical eccentricity between the central axis of the backbone structure and the supported rails. This vertical eccentricity stresses both the rails and connecting components which can shorten the working life of the system and increase maintenance costs.
Finally, in all applications, it is desirable that the support structure component having the requisite physical properties can be manufactured in an economical manner using fewer components and requiring fewer welds than available prior art solutions, such as box and tube-shaped backbone structures.
Accordingly, there is need for a track structure that is modular, economical to manufacture, relatively lightweight, torsionally stiff, resistant to bending moments and fatigue and easy to install in a wide variety of applications.